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A Hero Tale {Complete}

Jenso and Oz continued down the path towards what appeared to be the center of the citadel. With all the cogs and pillars floating erratically around the bridges, it was hard to discern where exactly they had to go. But if common sense applied, moving away from where Jenso entered from would eventually bring them to Geode.

The two eventually reached a much larger, circular bridge that seemed to completely surround a floating castle within the massive citadel. It was separated from the massive path but at least a kilometre of open space, which looked down upon the roaring ocean beneath them. The castle itself was a large orb. It contrasted the white brick walkways completely with its golden sheen. It seemed to rotated in place as well, with a single, divided stream of light that spun into a triple helix towards the top of the citadel, where a circular pillar was attached to an over-arching web of steel that connected to the path they stood upon as several points. The helix and the orb spun slowly, as did the entire citadel with it. Was the spinning exactly what kept the citadel afloat? It didn't matter, much. That was the center, for sure.

---

Within his chamber, Geode's eyes spun at the same pace as the citadel. He turned his head towards the wall behind him.

"Oh foo," He complained, "they're a little early."

---

With no direct path to the orb, and no actual entrances visible on the blasted thing, Jenso and Oz were stuck. How were they to get in?

A Hero Tale {Complete}

~ Chapter 125 ~

_{Collapse Imminent}

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Oz's spear tore through the mechanical junctures above him, unhinging gears and snapping stone columns in half. In moments, every last gear around them grind to a halt, and the very bridge that they stood on shook violently. It fell a few inches and paused, shaking the golems nearby. Pij flanked around easily, but the small area that allowed free flight made it easy for the golems from afar to strike her, aiming to knock the bird right out of thin air immediately after she dispatched the golems near Jenso and Oz, evaporating her physical form and sending the phoenix back to Jenso's body. Moments after the exchange, gears and rocks fell from above continuously, like a waterfall of parts, sealing the golems from Jenso and Oz. But a new problem arose.

The bridge was now falling to pieces, threatening to drop both of them into the ocean below.

Geode watched from afar, monitoring the two using his sphere to look through the cores of the other golems. As the collapsed happened, he chuckled and moved across the large circular room at the center of the citadel.

"Excellent. Maybe the elementals weren't such a mistake after all.."

---

~ End Of Chapter 124 ~

A Hero Tale {Complete}

The groups of golems shook in place, losing their footing as the bridge below them began to crack and crumble. Oz's strike managed to completely unhinge the intersection, disconnecting it from the four walkways, and causing it to slowly sink from its bindings.

Jenso's flame wave found itself negated as the struck the edge of one of the bridge platforms, not affecting the golems behind him. The golems on either side took a moment to regain their composure, and fired at Jenso and Oz while they were airborne, all in unison. The lasers flew through the air, narrowly missing. But where Geode stood, the golems had a perfect chance to hit Jenso directly as he landed. One of the bots were immediately dispatched by Jenso's kick, tearing it to shreds, but the other four turned and fired at Jenso, point-blank.

The golems on the opposite side of the bridge aimed carefully as well, waiting for an opening to fire their five lasers as well.

Geode drifted away into nothingness, fading into the gears while the exchange was occurring.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Correction," Geode interjected, allowing Jenso's fireball to harmlessly strike his right hand. The core glowed momentarily and then returned to normal. "You defeated your blood relative." Geode lowered his hand and rubbed it against his chest. "You have not defeated me, and you never will. Still, as much as I would like to sit here and play, I have far more important things to attend to. I'll let the exterminators take care of you." Geode turned around and began walking away, raising his hand and snapping his fingers.

Several golems, similar to the two that fought Jenso earlier, began to charge at them from all four paths. There were at least 20 in total, 5 coming from each side, and they were all aiming their hands at the two intruders, charging their individual weapons one after another. Geode paused before fully retreating, turning to face Jenso as he towered over his soldiers.

"I'd love to sit here rambling on and on about this Prisma you speak of, but as I've already stated, I'm needed elsewhere, rodent boy."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

The golem's carved chest pulsed momentarily, moving as if he'd just received a punch, but he brushed it off, flicking a few specks of dust from his body's surface. He looked at Oz.

"Hardly a monologue, much less an introduction- If even comparable," The golem muttered to himself, lowering a pair of purple eyelids to express disdain. He looked at Jenso and sighed audibly. "Brilliant deduction, Yellow boy. Did you rack your little brain as hard as you could possibly manage to come up with it? If so, bravo! I underestimated your intellect!" He taunted, clapping his hands lightly. It seemed he did not have a second orb in his left hand, and there were no other cores embedded in any parts of his body. "I hereby anoint you the rank of..." He paused for a moment and blinked before snapping his fingers. "Rodent!" The golem stifled a slow chuckle and cleared his throat, despite the lack thereof.

"You are correct, I am he. Though I don't consider myself a golem, despite this... Humble body," he said, gesturing to his lower half. His legs were actually impossible to see past the dark veil that surrounded him, making it look as if he levitated in place. "I am the Golem Origin Deity, actually. The creator of the golems. But that's such a troublesome title. You may call me... GeeOhDee." Geode announced.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"As much as the world might need a golden-garbed Buffoon mucking about," A familiar voice echoed from down one of the many directions spreading out from the intersection that Oz and Jenso paused at, "I don't think anyone has much of a choice on the matter of his living, I'm afraid."

A tall humanoid golem stomped into view, almost as if he faded out of the gears that spun at the edge of the pathways. He solidified immediately, standing at least 11 feet tall with his towering presence.

"Ah- Except for me, I suppose." he said, raising his right hand in a casual gesture, and revealing a golden sphere embedded in its palm.

The newcomer was cloaked in a subtle mist that sparkled, as if it were laced with floating crystal shards, too small to dignify as anything more than specks of light. His eyes were green, and whirled like small galaxies, shining a bright white at their center. He had no facial signification other than a chiseled chin, with no mouth or nose, and several armor-like joints that were connected by a thick miasma, parting each section of his body by about 1 inch. Was this one of the defensive golems left behind after the global assault?

No, it couldn't be. He was far too well spoken. Too malicious. He was unlike the mindless drones Jenso had encountered earlier. The figure's eyes didn't blink, but his voice had a familiar feel to it. Jenso had heard it before.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Jenso and Oz proceeded down the pathway at a steady pace. It wasn't long before the massive room full of golems was a speck, hidden behind the interwoven cogs of the citadel. It was quiet again inside the massive chamber. That was, until a new figure entered from the only entrance Jenso had not walked through. A black golem, obscured by shadows, even in clear view. It looked over the dome's interior until it saw the section of golems that Oz had recklessly smashed. The figure turned towards the exit that Jenso and Oz had escaped through and narrowed its eyes.

Crack

"Why.."

Crack Crack

"Hello again,"

Crunch

"Golden boy"

---

much further down the path, Oz and Jenso met another crossroads. The gears and twisted floating rocks were getting thinner as they neared the center of the giant floating domain. But the coast seemed clear for the moment. Where were all the guards? How many did they even have left?

A Hero Tale {Complete}

~ Chapter 124 ~

_{Human Batteries}

A Hero Tale {Complete}

---

~ End Of Chapter 123 ~